Timed dispensing attachment for receptacles



A. DUCHl TIMED DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR RECEPTACLES April 14, 1959 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1958 FIG. 3.

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TIMED DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR RECEPTACLES Filed Feb. 28, 1958 A. DUICHI April 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

ATT'OENEYS- United States Patent TIMED DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR RECEPTACLES Alfredo Duchi, Mount Shasta, Calif.

Application February 28, 1958, Serial No. 718,175

3 Claims. (Cl. 222-70) This invention relates to dispensing attachments for receptacles containing granular material, and more particularly to a timing dispensing attachment particularly suitable for use with boxes containing soap powder, or the like.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved dispensing attachment for containers of granular material, such as soap powder, or the like, the attachment being simple in construction, being easy to install on a container, and being arranged to automatically start its timing action when the container is inverted.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved timed dispensing attachment particularly suitable for use with a box of soap powder, the attachment involving inexpensive components, being durable in construction, and being provided with means for selecting a desired period of termination of the dispensing action thereof, whereby the pouring spout of the attachment will be automatically closed at the end of a predetermined selected time period, the time period being automatically initiated responsive to the inversion of the container, so that the flow of material continues during said time period and is cut off at the end thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be- "come apparent from the following description and claims,

and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improved dispensing attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the dispensing attachment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view, generally similar to Figure 3 but shown with the dispensing attachment mounted on a soap powder receptacle and in inverted position, whereby the timing mechanism is active.

Referring to the drawings, 11 generally designates a dispensing attachment in accordance with the present invention, said attachment being adapted to be mounted on a receptacle, such as a powdered soap container, of a conventional type having a dispensing opening in an upper wall portion thereof, for example, having a dispensing opening 12 in the upper end portion of an end wall 13 thereof, as shown in Figure 7.

The dispensing attachment 11 comprises a housing 14 centrally formed with an upstanding sub-housing portion 15 on its top wall. The main housing 14 is provided with the bottom wall 16 and with a depending plate member 17 rigidly secured to the end edge of the bottom wall 16 perpendicular thereto and centrally formed with the spout portion 18. As shown in Figure 7, the spout portion Patented Apr. 14, 1959 18 defines a discharge chute for soap powder or other similar material when a receptacle containing same is inverted, in the position thereof shown in Figure 7, the spout 18 being located so as to be in communication with the dispensing opening 12 in the wall 13 of the container when the attachment is mounted on said container, as will be presently described.

Designated at 19 is a generally horizontal leaf spring which is rigidly secured at one end to the inside surface of the top portion of the depending plate 17, the leaf spring 19 extending adjacent the bottom wall 16 of the housing 14. Designated at 20 is a wire bail member which is pivotally mounted rearwardly adjacent the plate member 17, the ends of the bail member 20 extending through the side walls of the spout member 18, providing the pivotal connection of said bail member, one of the ends of the bail member being extended externally of the spout member 18, as shown at 21, to define an operating handle for rotating the bail member. The side wall of spout member 18 adjacent the handle element 21 is formed with a rounded outwardly extending projection 22 which is lockingly engageable with the handle member 21 to lock same in a position wherein the main body portion of bail member 20 extends downwardly and sub stantially parallel to the plate member 17, as shown in Figure 3.

The wire bail member 20 is made of sufficiently resilient wire material so that the handle portion 21 at the end thereof may be flexed sufliciently to at times pass over the projection 22, as will be presently described.

Thus, in mounting the attachment, the leaf spring 19 is inserted through the upper portion of the dispensing opening 12 of the receptacle containing the material to be dispensed, the bail member 20 being then in a sub stantially horizontal position, whereby said bail member may be engaged through the opening 12. The top wall of the receptacle is thus gripped between the leaf spring 19 and the bottom wall 16 of housing 14, and the attachment is positioned so that the upper corner of the receptacle is received in the corner defined between the wall 16 and the depending plate member 17. Thereafter, the handle 21 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 3, so as to move the main body portion of the bail member 20 downwardly into the vertical position thereof shown in Figure 3, substantially in abutment with the inner surface of the end wall 13 of the receptacle, the handle 21 being flexed upwardly past the projection 22 and resting against the projection in the manner illustrated in Figure 3, whereby to lock the bail member 20 in the position shown in Figure 3, which secures the attachment to the receptacle.

As will be readily understood, the attachment may be removed from an emptied receptacle by merely rotating the bail member 20 to a horizontal position by means of the handle member 21 whereby the attachment may be disengaged from the empty receptacle.

Slidably mounted on the wall 16 of housing 14 and being extensible through a horizontal slot 23 provided in the front wall 24 of said housing is a closure plate 25 which is biased forwardly to the position thereof shown in Figure 3 by a leaf spring 26 whose ends are respectively fastened to an upstanding pin element 27 on the rear end portion of the closure plate 25 and an upstanding pin element 28 secured on the rear portion of the bottom wall 16. The spring 26 is generally V shaped and exerts a biasing action on the plate member 25, urging said plate member to a position wherein its forward portion overlies the top end of the spout 18. The closure plate 25 is guided for its sliding movement by a pair of vertical post members 29, 29 secured between the top and bottom walls of the housing 14 and slidably receiving the plate member 25 therebetween,

as is clearly shown in Figure 6. Designated at is a vertical shaft member which is journaled between the bottom wall 16 of housing '14 and the horizontal plate member 31 secured in the upper portion of housing 14 and forming the bottom wall of the upstanding subhousing 15. Secured to the top end portion of the shaft 30 is an operating lever 32 which extends horizontally and passes through a slot 33 formed in the front wall of the sub-housing 15, the operating lever 32 terminating a short distance from the front marginal edge of main housing 14, as shown in Figure 1, the front Wall of the main housing being arcuate in shape. The top wall of the main housing is inscribed adjacent its margin with spaced indicia representing different timing periods, for example, minutes, adjacent to which the end of the operating lever 32 may be set to provide selected time periods of dispensing of the soap powder or other material in the receptacle on which the deviceis mounted.

A helically coiled clock spring 34 surrounds the upper portion of the vertical shaft 30, the inner end of the helical spring being connected to the shaft and the outer end thereof being connected through suitable depending bracket means 35 to the horizontal plate member 31.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 30 subjacent to a collar member 36 secured to said shaft beneath the clock spring unit 34 is a gear wheel 37 which is frictionally engaged on its bottom surface by a leaf spring member 38 rigidly secured to shaft 30. Thus, the shaft 30 is frictionally coupled to the gear wheel 37 by the frictional force of the spring 38 which is exerted against the bottom surface of gear wheel 37, urging the gear wheel against the collar member 36. However, the shaft is rotatable relative to the gear wheel 37 since the spring 38 may slide along the bottom surface of the gear wheel 37 if the gear wheel is held against rotation.

Gear wheel 37 comprises one element of a clockwork mechanism which consists of a pinion element 39 meshing with the gear wheel 37 and rigidly secured to a gear wheel 40, the pinion element 39 and gear wheel 40 being rotatable on a stationary post member 41 secured between top plate 31 and a horizontal plate member 42. Said horizontal plate member 42 is secured between the front post members 29 and a rear post member 43 secured between top plate 31 and bottom wall 16 .of the housing 14.

The clockwork mechanism further includes an escapement wheel 44 which is mounted on a vertical shaft 45 journaled between top plate 31 and the horizontal plate member 42, the escapement wheel 44 being formed with the opposing escapement lugs 46, 46, which are engageable with the teeth of the gear wheel 40, whereby free oscillation of the escapement wheel 44 allows the gear 37 to rotate at a timed rate when shaft 30 drives said gear through the friction spring 38, as will be presently described.

The escapement wheel 44 is formed with an arcuate slot 47 concentric with the shaft 45 through which extends a vertical pin 48 secured between the top plate member 31 and the horizontal plate member 42. Slidably mounted on the vertical pin 48 is a weight member 50 having a conical bottom end which is frictionally engageable in the slot 47 to normally prevent oscillation of the escapement wheel 44. However, when the device is inverted, for example, as shown in Figure 7, the weighted collar member 50 slides away from the escapement wheel 44, allowing the wheel to oscillate freely.

The cover plate 25 is formed with a longitudinal slot 51 through which the shaft member 30 extends, allowing the cover plate 25 to slide freely in a longitudinal direction relative to the shaft member 30. Secured to the lower portion of the shaft member 30, subjacent the plate 42 is a cam assembly 53 comprising a pair of 'disc members 54 and 55 which are superimposed on each other, the lower disc member 55 being formed with an upstanding lug 57 which extends through a rectangular slot 58 in the marginal portion of the upper disc 54, substantially preventing relative rotation of the disc members. The upper disc member 54 is formed opposite the notch 58 with a rectangular notch 60 which overlies a smoothly curved cam notch 61 formed in the marginal portion of the lower disc 55. Designated at 64 is a lever which is pivoted at one end to the horizontal plate member 42, as shown at 65, and which is disposed subjacent said plate member. The other end of the lever 64 is provided with a depending vertical pin eiement 66 which slidably engages in a transverse slot 67 formed in the rear end portion of the closure plate 2.5. Secured to the intermediate portion of the lever 64 is a depending pin element 68 which engages the periphery of the cam assembly 53, and which normally engages in the cam notch 61, allowing the plate 25 to be held in its closed position, as shown in Figure 6.

Spring 38 is of sufficient strength to prevent reverse rotation of the shaft 30 unless the clockwork mechanism is released. Thus, the Weight member 50 normally holds the clockwork mechanism against operation and thus holds the gear wheel 37 against rotation. When the operating member 32 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, from its zero position to a predetermined position along the numbered peripheral margin of the forward portion of housing 14, the spring 34 will be wound up and the shaft member 30 Will be held against reverse rotation except as permitted by the operation of the clockwise mechanism when the escapement 44 is subsequently released for oscillation. Thus, the device may be set for a predetermined time, depending upon the position to which the operating lever 32 is moved, after which the receptacle is inverted to the position thereof shown in Figure 7, whereby the weighted member 50 slides away from the escapement wheel 44, releasing the clockwork mechanism and allowing the spring 34 to drive the shaft 30 back to its initial position.

When the operating member 32 is moved from its zero position to a selected time value, as above described, the shaft 30 is rotated, carrying with it the cam assembly 53, whereby the pin 68 is driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 6, causing the lever 64 to be likewise driven, whereby the closure plate 25 is retracted by the camming action of the depending pin 66 in the transverse slot 27. Thus the setting of the lever member 32 retracts the closure plate 25 and uncovers the spout 18. When the receptacle is inverted to the position shown in Figure 7, thematerial, such as soap flakes, or the like, in the receptacle flows out through the spout 18, and at the same time the clockwork mechanism is released, as above described, allowing the cam assembly 53 to rotate until finally the pin element 68 is allowed to enter the cam notch 61. When this occurs, the biasing spring 26 moves the closure plate 25 back to its closed position overlying the top end of the spout 18, terminating the discharge of the material from the receptacle.

As will be readily apparent, the operating handle 32 may be set to provide a dispensing period of any time within the range provided by the clockwork mechanism in association with the clock spring 34. This range will be indicated by the numerals inscribed on the top wall of the housing 14.

While a specific embodiment of an improved timed dispensing attachment for a receptacle has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A timed dispensing attachment for a receptacle having a dispensing opening in an upper wall portion thereof comprising a housing provided with a dispensing spout,

means on said housing clampingly engageable with the and extending outside the housing, means operatively connecting said shaft member to said cover plate to retract said plate responsive to rotation of the shaft member in one direction from an initial position thereof, a spring-driven clockwork mechanism connected to the shaft member and being formed and arranged to drive the shaft member in the opposite direction back toward said initial position at a timed rate, and a movable weight member mounted in said housing and engaging a portion of said clockwork mechanism to prevent operation thereof when the attachment is in a normal upright position but being movable to release the clockwork mechanism when the attachment is inverted.

2. In combination, a receptacle having a dispensing opening in an upper wall portion thereof, a housing provided with a dispensing spout, means on said housing clampingly engageable with the upper wall portion of the receptacle adjacent said dispensing opening of the receptacle, said spout being arranged to cover said dispensing opening, a cover plate slidably mounted in said housing in a position to overlie the top of said spout, means biasing said plate towards covering position over the spout, a shaft member journaled in the housing, an operating member journaled to said shaft member and extending outside the housing, a cam on said shaft member, link means connecting said cover plate to said housing and being engaged by said cam, said cam being formed and arranged to retract said plate responsive to rotation of the shaft member in one direction from an initial position thereof,

a spring driven clockwork mechanism connected to the shaft member and being formed and arranged to drive the shaft member in the opposite direction back towards said initial position at a timed rate, and a movable weight member mounted in said housing and engaging a portion of said clockwork mechanism to prevent operation thereof when the receptacle is in a normal upright position but being movable to release the clockwork mechanism when the receptacle is inverted.

3. In combination, a receptacle having a dispensing opening in an upper wall portion thereof, a housing provided with a dispensing spout, means on said housing clampingly engageable with the upper wall portion of the receptacle adjacent the dispensing opening of the receptacle, said spout being arranged to cover said dispensing opening, a cover plate slidably mounted in said housing in a position to overlie the top of said spout, means biasing said plate toward covering position over the spout, a shaft member journaled in the housing, an operating member secured to said shaft member and extending outside the housing, a cam on said shaft member, link means connecting said cover plate to said housing and being engaged by said cam, said cam being formed and arranged to retract said plate responsive to rotation of the shaft member in one direction from an initial position thereof, a spring-driven clockwork mechanism connected to the shaft member and being formed and arranged to drive the shaft member in the opposite direction back towards said initial position at a timed rate, a vertical post element mounted in the housing adjacent a movable portion of said clockwork mechanism, and a weight member slidably mounted on said vertical post element and being frictionally engageable with said movable portion to prevent operation thereof when the receptacle is in a normal upright position but being movable to release the clockwork mechanism when the receptacle is inverted.

No references cited. 

